LETTER OF THE DAY: Real answer to obesity is real food

It’s a crisp March morning and the grass glistens with dew as we make our way through a hedge, just a stone’s throw from Southsea seafront.

The sun gives way to a cool breeze and a sudden downpour that’s gone as quickly as it came – spring’s changeability at its best.

It’s the involvement of the people that makes it attractive

Nigel Huggins

Volunteer gardeners Nigel Huggins and Nina Moscrip have a sapling apple tree in their hands – the newest addition to a community orchard of about 30 trees between the hedge and a string of tennis courts.

The orchard is the latest project at the Southsea Greenhouse, which itself has blossomed over the past 12 months.

‘It’s going to be gorgeous,’ says Nigel, 58, after he lowers the plant into its hole.

Nigel, who lives in North End, has been involved in the Southsea Greenhouse community garden since it launched in 2011.

‘When the tennis club realign their fencing we’ll have room for a picnic area,’ he says.

‘It will be nice place for people to come and spend some time.’

The orchard also includes plum, cherry and pear trees.

Started by Sue Stokes, of Southsea, the greenhouse now has more going on than ever before.

‘It’s the involvement of the people that makes it attractive,’ says Nigel.

‘It’s amazing how the community has built up over the past couple of years.’

There are now more than 200 members of the greenhouse co-operative, and far from being just a gardening group it supports a thriving community of painters, knitters, ceramicists and woodcrafters.

Sue says: ‘People think we’re just gardeners, but actually we’ve been a co-operative of gardeners, growers and makers since we started four years ago.’

Sue says the gardeners are now preparing for Big Dig Day, a national effort to get green fingers active on March 21.

Members of the public are invited to visit the greenhouse between 11am and 1pm for plantings and other activities, including a children’s workshop.

Sue says the greenhouse has 400 bush saplings which people can collect for free.

Sue says: ‘There’s blackthorn, crabapple, hazel and others and we want to give them away from now.

‘They’re not going to grow into gigantic trees – they’re just bushes and they will encourage wildlife.

‘The Big Dig Day ’s all about encouraging people to grow fruit and vegetables and to look after their green spaces.’

Last year, the greenhouse’s team also took over running Portsmouth In Bloom, the city’s annual contest for green fingers.

Sue says the competition was a great success, and she is hoping even more people will get involved this year.

She says: ‘Personally, I like growing things from seeds and cuttings and I also like growing things to attract bees.

‘I’m looking forward to more activity going on in spring.’

At a glance

Southsea Greenhouse

Where: In Canoe Lake park at the back of Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Eastern Parade, Southsea, PO4 9RG

When: The greenhouse is open for visitors on Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 1pm and Sunday from 1pm to 3pm, and often at other times as well. The greenhouse also has an organic vegetable box scheme, see the website for more details.